1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air conditioner systems for automotive vehicles, and more particularly to an air conditioner system including a combustion heater.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various automobile air conditioner systems are known in which a cooler and a heater are disposed in an air flow duct and air is forced by a blower to flow through the cooler and heater such that the temperature of air introduced into a vehicle passenger compartment is controlled to be maintained at a desired value. The heater comprises a heater core in which the air is subjected to a heat-exchange relationship with engine cooling water which is circulating through the heater core to give up heat to the air.
Such a known air conditioner system however is not applicable to a vehicle having a non-water-cooled engine, such as an air-cooled engine. Another drawback is in that due to a relatively large specific heat of the engine cooling water, the known system needs a considerably longer period of time to obtain hot air when the engine is started cold.